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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

food for labour?

29 replies

buttershy · 26/05/2016 08:27

Hi ladies,

I'm 30wks pregnant and a bit OCD about getting organised. I've just started to pack my hospital bag and I'm thinking about foods to include. At the time I'm planning on grabbing some fresh fruit like bananas but some food with longer shelf life I thought I might put to one side now.

If this all seems silly bare with me, I had a hospital stay at 24 wks pregnant and because I was very ill I barely ate anything, got progressively more poorly and had constipation for over 10 days which was just awful. I also was regularly missed when they ordered or brought round food and had one day where plain white toast was all I was served (not good for constipation!) so I feel that I would be more relaxed, especially as I will be nursing baby if I have some good food on hand. I also have hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) so unless I have a planned c-section I will need to eat during labour.

So any ideas on what to bring, what worked for you? What didn't work?

Cereal bars
Plain biscuits (digestives/rich tea)
Chocolate covered raisins and nuts
Fruit purée
Savoury biscuits or plain crisps
Ribena cartons (I've been told these are great for the sugar boost)
Lucozade
Some sort of fruit heavy smoothie to help with constipation
Natural jelly sweets (allergic to a food colouring in regular kind)

Thanks!

OP posts:
MYA2016 · 26/05/2016 12:45

During 14 hrs of labour (contractions 1.5 min apart from the offset) I didn't eat a thing as it was the last thing on my mind even though like you I'd put lots of thought into what I took.
However I ended up with emergency section and then I tell you the best food I took was a large bag of jelly babies and some "just add water" porridge pots. They literally saved me! I was so bored and hungry for the days following the birth on hospital.

With regards to the constipation I also had that following csec and sent dh out to get fybogel which worked a treat. You just drink it but it's really gentle on you. Maybe tale some in with you?
good luck

DropYourSword · 26/05/2016 12:51

I took in food for labour and didn't even touch it. Last thing on my mind. But cereal bars are a good idea and I took a bag of jelly sweets for a burst of sugar. What I DVD use was the individual cartons of juice. Excellent for second stage where you're desperate for a sip after each contraction. My DH alternated between water and tropical juice and it was wonderful. I advise you take some straws too.

Rpj16 · 26/05/2016 12:54

I didn't eat any of the things I brought in when I went into labour, only had gas and air at the end, but during contractions my appetite went (alsowasan over night thing so didn't really eat) - but my partner really appreciated all the food!

We packed cereal bars, and bought long life wrapped pain-au-chocolates from aldi (they were lush).

Lucozade and powerade were brilliant for me. Also drinkcartons with straws.

I'd say lots of fruit and veg to make your first post-labour number 2 easier. I've heard not to eat chocolate as it can make constipation worse, but I ate loads in hospital (needed cheering up as had to stay in for a week) and it made no difference to be fair.

I seem to remember eating a lot of sandwiches too! haha

Original poster
buttershy · 26/05/2016 13:10

Thanks everyone! I have fibrogel and a prescription oral medicine for the constipation and I will definitely take both of those in. Is it true they won't let you go home till you've done your number 2? That's making me anxious :(

Okay so definitely seems like eating doesn't really happen in labour then although I do wonder how my sugar levels would cope with a long period of no food, I'm sure adrenalin just takes over though?

Seems like I need to find some sweets with no colouring in then that have sugar in. I heard things with dates are good too and also would help constipation.

Thanks X

OP posts:
Original poster
buttershy · 26/05/2016 13:11

Thanks everyone! I have fibrogel and a prescription oral medicine for the constipation and I will definitely take both of those in. Is it true they won't let you go home till you've done your number 2? That's making me anxious :(

Okay so definitely seems like eating doesn't really happen in labour then although I do wonder how my sugar levels would cope with a long period of no food, I'm sure adrenalin just takes over though?

Seems like I need to find some sweets with no colouring in then that have sugar in. I heard things with dates are good too and also would help constipation.

Thanks X

OP posts:
murphyslaws · 26/05/2016 13:15

I had loads of food.

Eat nothing other than a few jelly babies. And chocolate milk drink for sugar rush

MrsMillions · 26/05/2016 13:27

I found lucozade, dried apricots and flapjacks most useful, both in labour and on the ward after.

3rd degree tear with DD1 and indeed they didn't let me home until the lactulose had done its work. DD2 did less damage and there was no such requirement - same hospital and not particularly busy on the ward so don't think that was a factor.

Dinosaursdontgrowontrees · 26/05/2016 13:34

I took Ribena cartons, cereal bars, boiled sweets and bananas. I didn't touch them at all during labor but really enjoyed them after!!

I have have 2 babies and didn't have to poo before I left the hospital either time.

Rainshowers · 26/05/2016 13:35

I was allowed home without going, I don't even think they asked.

I threw up a lot in labour (only time during my pregnancy that I did), so food wasn't on my mind at all. I drank quite a lot of the still orange lucozade sport, and was very thirsty when I used gas and air (lipbalm was essential!).

I had to stay overnight though so the snacks came in handy as the hospital food was terrible-pure stodgy rubbish which wasn't helpful when I was worrying about going to the loo! My husband did a big shop full of fruit and veg when I went home the next day and I think I ate healthier than I ever had for a couple of days because I was worried about constipation and episiotomy stitches!

zeeka · 26/05/2016 13:38

I brought food for stay after c-section (luckily.... I was ravenous!). Juice cartons (easy to hold when breastfeeding), cereal bars, little pots of fruit. I asked my parents I bring sandwiches too!

untinctured · 26/05/2016 13:40

I love the idea of chocolate covered nuts. Oats are really good for energy so flapjacks are worth taking. Next time round I am planning on keeping bags of chocolate buttons in the freezer then taking them with me to hospital. They should keep cool on the journey and it helps to have something that only takes a few seconds to eat.

Junosmum · 26/05/2016 16:17

I couldn't keep any food down in labour. But drinks were a God-send. Unfortunately I didn't take enough. So plenty of sugary drinks- I found little cartons of fruit juice fantastic, as DH could hold them whilst I sucked the straw. If you take bottles, take straws with you!

ijustwannadance · 26/05/2016 16:22

I took things like cereal bars, couple of bottles of fizzy pop, crisps.
Like PP, I was sick throughout labour so couldn't eat anything.
Came in handy when I had to stay in for a few days though. The food the gave out was vile.

Greyhorses · 26/05/2016 20:14

I didn't eat a thing but did sip lucozade.

I stuffed in donuts after though and was glad DP packed those!

CutYourHairAndGetAJob · 26/05/2016 20:25

In labour with dc1 I was the weirdo who was hungry through the whole thing Grin. I ate lots of snacks eg cereal bars, chocolate, fruit... anything high energy. I was even asking for chocolate between pushes.

After having the baby I was still starving the whole time... hospital portion definitely aren't sufficient when you are establishing breastfeeding. I mostly ate mince pies (it was Christmas) but should really have been eating lots of fruit as I got quite constipated.

Labour with dc2 was much quicker and I didn't really have time to get hungry.

princesspineapple · 27/05/2016 06:58

Flapjacks and little cartons of juice were my favourites. I was also hyper organised and had 2 little cool bags, one each for me and DP... Neither of us ate a thing during labour, it was too traumatic and they wouldn't let me have anything apart from "clear fluids" in case I needed an emergency section. Weirdly, smooth orange juice was considered okay as a clear fluid!
Didn't end up needing the section, and as soon as DP held DD, I devoured a box of flapjacks and all the cartons that were left! Grin

SewSlapdash · 27/05/2016 07:13

If you do want something to eat in labour, don't take exclusively very dry things. Even afterwards my mouth was dry from the gas and air and the idea of biscuits etc was horrible.

Jenijena · 27/05/2016 07:21

First time I was a c section risk so fluids only. Then in missed food (never mind it was disgusting) so ate chocolate and cereal bars for the next three meals after birth.

Second time, I took a couple of those long life tuna meals in case of being missed after food. I was only in for a couple of hours before DS2 arrived but I had a big bottle of water I kept drinking, and sucked on a few jelly sweets. And I was in a lovely standalone mlu with lovely food and a fish and chip shop around the corner!

AliensInUnderpants12 · 27/05/2016 07:36

I would just take in some chocolate or cereal bars. I wouldn't go mad as the hospital will give you tea and toast after the baby has been born and serve you breakfast/lunch/dinner depending what times you are there.

You never know what your labour will be like, my first was 5.5 hours and second was 3.5 hours so you might not have time to eat in labour 😉 I think a lot of people can't eat in labour too. Plenty of fluids is the main thing 😊

Rpj16 · 27/05/2016 08:02

OP, I think they will let you go home without doing a poo! You probably wont need to go for a few days so they wouldn't keep you in just for that. (and its really not that bad!!!)

The first wee is scary, and they insisted to do this asap after the birth, but I would advise to take a disposable bottle of water or a jug to pour over yourself. And whether you do a No.2 or not in hospital, every midwife you see will ask you about your 'movements' until you sign off visits! Its all so dignified, isn't it!!

SouthDownsSunshine · 27/05/2016 08:27

I had a long labour, ended up getting dehydrated and a urine infection. I took lucozade sports, but I wasn't drinking anywhere near enough. I should have had water as well. I packed cereal bars, which I nibbled at until the contractions ramped up.

The best thing was toast the next morning!

Latium123 · 27/05/2016 09:48

Like many others I had packed lots of different foods and didn't eat a thing, partly because my labour was so quick but also because I was so focussed on labour I didn't feel any hunger. I was also quite sick / nauseous. However, the food in the bag certainly came in handy later when the breastfeeding hunger kicks in!

Saying that, I am just about to have DC2 and I have packed food in my bag just in case things are different this time round. I would recommend lucozade tablets / glucose tablets as even if you're not hungry these can give you a quick energy boost without you having to really eat them. Good luck!

Original poster
buttershy · 27/05/2016 11:11

Thanks everyone! Lots of good suggestions here and different experiences with eating/not wanting to. But like many of you say having food on hand for after is a good idea incase I get missed or am starving. I hadn't thought about the dry food point with the gas and air, great point thank you x

OP posts:
Babettescat · 27/05/2016 13:08

i took

Chocolates
Crisps
Sandwiches
Lucozade
Pasta
Fruit
Chocolates again
Savoury stuff
Sweet stuff

I consumed

Nothing but water.

Marmighty · 27/05/2016 13:16

I was induced so just before I went in cut up a pineapple and mango and ate that during early labour. And lots of flapjacks. I ate loads! Try to remember lots of sips of water/juice - coconut water is good too.